The Mexican government has presented a reform initiative for the National Workers' Housing Fund Institute (Infonavit) aimed at ensuring the construction of dignified housing for workers. Urban development experts estimate that there is a deficit of between four and eight million homes in Mexico, so this reform seeks to address this issue. The program is expected to benefit lower-income sectors, especially those workers earning less than two minimum wages who currently do not have access to credits to buy a house. During the six-year term, there are plans to construct one million low-cost homes, of which 165,000 are planned to be developed in 2025.
As part of this initiative, the possibility of leasing with monthly payments not exceeding 30% of employees' salaries is proposed, which will benefit young people and those unable to access traditional credits. Reginaldo Sandoval, coordinator of the PT deputies, emphasized the importance of the reform to address challenges such as the millions of debts of developers with Infonavit and the lack of housing completion. For his part, Patricio Flores Sandoval, spokesperson for the Mexican Workers' Confederation, highlighted the importance of depoliticizing Infonavit.
The reform proposes significant changes, such as allowing social leasing of properties with an option to buy, designating the general direction of Infonavit by the government, and reducing the number of members in the supervision and administration committees, among other modifications. President Sheinbaum has highlighted that the reform aims to combat corruption and improve transparency in the management of resources allocated for social housing.
Despite the potential benefits, the reform has generated controversy and resistance from entrepreneurs, opposition legislators, and unions, who fear excessive government control over workers' funds. Critical voices, such as Senator Ricardo Anaya, have expressed concern about the possibility of the government accessing housing funds, while the Mexican Business Confederation has emphasized the importance of proper supervision of the funds.
In the Senate, the discussion of the reform has been postponed due to lack of quorum, indicating the differences and concerns surrounding the proposal. President Sheinbaum has responded to criticisms, assuring that the reform seeks to protect workers' housing funds and ensure transparency in their management. Furthermore, she emphasized that the reform is necessary to correct existing deficiencies in the social housing system and combat corruption in the management of Infonavit.
